A Helping Hand
by Highland-Spring
Summary: Frodo is baby-sitting seven-year-old Pippin. Things don't go as they should and Pippin runs away hoping to get to Buckland so Merry can look after him insted. Pippin soon has an adventure of his own! Chapt 2. will soon be up.
1. Default Chapter

1- accidents and escapes.  
  
A small face peeked out from under the covers. Chestnut curls cascaded over his forehead, almost going into his green eyes. A sharp nose jolted out from his seemingly smaller face, and a wide and mischievous grin made whomever it was shouting at him stop and sigh.  
  
"Alright, you win. I can't stay mad at you for that."  
  
It was Frodo.  
  
The small boy scrambled out from under covers and nodded.  
  
"Good. Because it wasn't even my fault." He replied folding his arms.  
  
"Peregrin Took! It was your fault so don't try to pass the blame." Frodo scolded.  
  
Pippin pouted. He'd not been doing anything wrong at all-just having fun. He never meant to wake up Frodo. He'd never meant to spill hot Hawthorn tea all over the Baggins' leg. He'd never meant to do a lot of things, Frodo had reminded him, but still he managed to cause a lot of trouble.  
  
"It was a ack-sy-dent." Pippin replied.  
  
"Accident. Peregrin say accident." Frodo corrected him.  
  
"That's what I said. Ack-sy-dent." Pippin replied.  
  
Frodo sighed again. Babysitting Merry had been enough, but now the Brandybuck was older and didn't need babying, Frodo was lumbered with Pippin instead-and that was a lot worse than he could ever have imagined. Merry was fifteen now. Pippin and Merry got on really well--why Merry couldn't baby-sit instead, Frodo did not know, but Merry was away with his father. Pippin frowned.  
  
"My name's Pippin. Call me Pippin like Merry does." The Took said.  
  
Frodo shook his head.  
  
"Your name is Peregrin. They just call you that for short." Frodo replied sharply.  
  
Pippin suddenly felt very upset. Frodo didn't want to play, he didn't really want to be here and he didn't even call him Pippin. Pippin's bottom lip began to quiver and Frodo sighed again.  
  
"Oh, you're Seven for goodness sake! Don't cry just because you don't get your way-Silly hobbit." Frodo huffed.  
  
Silly Hobbit! No one ever called him that! Well they didn't mean it like Frodo had. Sometimes Merry did it, but that was only pretend and messing about. Frodo sighed again, folded his arms and stared down at the boy.  
  
"Just go to your room if you're going to be silly. I only baby-sit sensible children." Frodo demanded.  
  
***  
  
Pippin lay on the bed crying into his covers. He wasn't silly! He wasn't crying because he didn't get his way he was crying because he was upset. His sobs soon turned to muffled chokes and his eyes were soon sore from crying. He sat up. His tear soaked teddy bear still gripped close to his chest was gently put down and Pippin walked over to the window. He couldn't reach the latch so he heaved his toy box over with all his might. If Frodo didn't want to baby-sit, then Pippin would run away so that he wouldn't have to. He clambered up onto the box and undid the latch. The window flung open. Pippin got off the box and went back over to the bed. He pulled out his calico rucksack. He put in two boiled sweets, his teddy bear, a mug, a few stones and a small bag of cookies that he'd managed to steal and hide away. That had been a few weeks ago and he'd completely forgotten about them, but he thought if he got really, really hungry, that they would have to do. He hoisted his pack over his shoulder and them climbed out and landed on the soft grass below. He softly pushed the window shut and then scouted off away from his home and into the woods that shadowed his home.  
  
The woods of East Farthing were a scary place, but if he went far enough he would reach the borders of Buckland. It only took a day or so by cart, but if he ran, Pippin thought it would only take him a few hours. His Aunt and Uncle wouldn't mind baby-sitting him. They liked him, they looked after him a lot, so he was sure they'd be happy to look after him until his parents got back. Already he was feeling very thirsty, but when he stopped and opened his pack he realised he'd packed his mug but no water. Then he remembered the sweets. He popped one into his mouth and made sure not to crunch it like he usually did. He would have to suck this sweet so he could get liquid out of it. He sat down under the cool shades of the trees and lent back against the trunk. He felt quite sleepy. He knew he'd have to keep moving if he wanted to get to Buckland before it got dark, but a little sleep wouldn't hurt. So he closed his eyes and fell asleep. 


	2. realisation and panic

2- Realisation and panic  
  
Frodo thought it had been quiet. Maybe the boy was napping. He'd opened the door and had gotten the shock of his life to find the room empty and Pippin missing. He would've known if Pippin had snuck out of his room-Pippin wasn't very good at being quiet and his door-handle squeaked whenever it moved slowly. Frodo's heart beat faster when he found Pippin's rucksack missing and the window undone.  
  
"Oh you really are a silly, silly hobbit!" Frodo said aloud.  
  
Frodo knew Paladin and Eglantine would be home any minute. They'd gone to Bree to collect Merry so the Brandybuck wouldn't be away from the Shire all week. He'd been with his father on business, but had wanted to see Pippin. They'd arranged to meet at Bree and let the lad stay for a few days. It would've been a surprise for Pippin, but it was Paladin, Eglantine and Merry that would be getting the surprise when they came home to find their son missing. Frodo heard the latch lift-they were home!  
  
***  
  
Pippin suddenly opened his eyes. He'd fallen asleep! It was starting to get dark and he hadn't even gone far. He stood up and looked round to make sure no one had seen him. Then he hurried off down the soft grassed path and hoped he'd get to Buckland before dark.  
  
***  
  
"What do you mean he's gone? Where could he go?" Paladin shouted.  
  
Frodo shook his head.  
  
"I'm sorry-I don't know! I sent him to his room. He was being terribly silly. I left him there for a good while, and then went about seeing him again-to tell him he could come out and when I opened the door he was gone." Frodo explained.  
  
Merry stared coldly at Frodo. This would never have happened if he had been looking after him.  
  
"Oh goodness, Paladin, what are we going to do-its getting dark!" Eglantine panicked.  
  
Paladin took her hands in his and nodded.  
  
"It's alright, Lan, everything's going to be alright. I'm going straight out to look for him. Send word round as best you can. Merry will come with me-you and Frodo stay here in case he comes back. It will be all right." He promised.  
  
Merry pulled on his cloak and bundled Pippin's tiny one into his bag. He then followed his uncle outside in order to begin their search.  
  
*** Pippin stopped again. He'd heard something and was very scared. It was very dark now-thick dusky colours engaged with the shadow of night and the boy suddenly felt very alone.  
  
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." He said aloud.  
  
He didn't expect an answer, but he did not like the silence that followed it. He hated the dark, he hated being all by himself and he hated being hungry with only boiled sweet and week-old biscuits to eat. He was so very frightened that he knew he would cry. He wasn't going to try to stop himself. He huddled up against a tree trunk and pulled out his teddy bear. He shouldn't have fallen asleep--in fact he shouldn't have even fun away. It was so dark out here-so quiet and lonely. He didn't want to be lonely, he didn't want it to be quiet. He just wanted to go home, but he was lost in the dark. He couldn't even see his hand in front of his face, let alone the path.  
  
*** Paladin and Merry had searched everywhere they could think of. They then decided that the woods were an option though did not think Pippin would be stupid enough to go there. After searching round endlessly, their thoughts altered and they headed into the blackness of the woods.  
  
"I'm so, so sorry Eglantine, I really am." Frodo begged.  
  
Eglantine turned to him.  
  
"You are not helping." She said sternly.  
  
Frodo felt so guilty. He'd been so stupid to have spoken to Pippin in the way he did, Pippin was a sensitive boy and took things to heart-Frodo knew that-but still he had treated the Took all rather wrongly.  
  
He just hoped that Pippin was safe. 


	3. No need to fear

3- No need to fear.  
  
Pippin stopped crying. He heard something. Footsteps. Frantic, pounding footsteps. What was it? It could be anything out here-a dragon, a troll-it could even be the "Hobbit-eating-flying-beast" Pervinca had told him about. She had told him that it only ate naughty Hobbits, and now Pippin feared what could happen to him. He really, really didn't mean to wake up Frodo, he really didn't-and as for running away, that's what he thought was best at the time being. Now he really was in trouble. He was going to get eaten up!  
  
"Pippin!"  
  
Pippin stood up. That didn't sound like a monster--that sounded like Merry. Pippin listened again and hoped it was.  
  
"Pippin!" That wasn't Merry-that was his father!  
  
He was going to be safe!  
  
"Da?" Pippin shouted loudly.  
  
The footsteps grew closer; he could hear two sets of feet running along the grass. Two sets! Both Merry and his father.  
  
"Merry?" Pippin shouted.  
  
"Stay where you are! We'll find you! Keep talking, son, keep speaking to us." His father called.  
  
Pippin didn't quite know what to say at first. He was sure his father would want to know why he was outside all by himself and in the dark so he thought that maybe he should start explaining now.  
  
"Da, I didn't mean to wake up Frodo, so I hid when he shouted, but he found me and said some nasty things and he sent me to my room because he said I was being silly, but I wasn't being silly, I just wanted to play. So I thought he didn't want to baby-sit me because he was very grumpy so I thought I'd go to Buckland instead because Aunt and Uncle don't mind looking after me, so I thought if I went there instead Frodo wouldn't be mad anymore. So that's why I left, but then I got hungry but I only packed some week-old biscuits, and I was thirsty but I didn't have any water-just a mug and then I felt sleepy so I sat down. I woke up again and it was dark so I got scared and then I thought the big "Hobbit-eating-flying-beast was going to get me and-"  
  
Pippin suddenly let out an ear-splitting scream as something grabbed his shoulder. It took him a while to realise it was just Merry, but it had frightened him so much that he began to cry. Merry picked his tiny cousin up into his arms and stroked back his hair.  
  
"Oh, shh, it's alright, Pip, it's only me." Merry soothed.  
  
Pippin sniffled a little and gripped hold of Merry's shirt tightly. He could see his father too, and he reached out his hand. Paladin gripped it tightly and Pippin could make out his father's smile.  
  
"I'm a fool! I forgot to bring a lantern. It's a good job we know our way round, isn't?" Paladin said.  
  
Pippin giggled. Merry kept a tight hold of him and they began to make their way back out of the woods and back to the Smials.  
  
"So what's this about a "Hobbit-eating-flying-beast"?" Merry asked him.  
  
Pippin gave a soft sigh.  
  
"Pervinca said there was a big Hobbit-eating-flying-beast that ate bad hobbit children for breakfast. She said if I didn't behave it would come and get me and eat me all up. She said that it could eat me up in one gulp and then she said-"  
  
Paladin cut him off.  
  
"I don't think you should listen to Pervinca, lad, she doesn't know what she's talking about. There's no such thing. Now then, I want you to tell me what you did to make Frodo so grumpy." Paladin said.  
  
Pippin knew Merry was already laughing, but the Brandybuck was good at concealing such things.  
  
"Well first of all I was in the kitchen and we were going to make a cake, but I dropped the flour all over the floor, then he said I should play with my toys and I did, but I knocked over the inkwell and spilled it all over his letters. Then he said he wanted to sit down because he felt tired so I thought I'd make him some Hawthorn tea but I tripped up on my coat and it went all over his leg."  
  
Pippin heard Merry giggle.  
  
"And what was your coat doing on the floor?" Paladin asked.  
  
Pippin was silent for a little while, but then he let out a small giggle.  
  
"I was pretending to be a stone." He replied.  
  
"Pretending to be a stone?" Merry questioned.  
  
Pippin nodded.  
  
"Yes. Frodo said I should play a quiet game and stones are quiet so I thought if I was one of them it would be quiet, but stones are boring because they don't seem to do very much." Pippin replied.  
  
Paladin smiled too, they'd reached the edge of the woods and he was just relived to have his son back safe and sound. 


	4. Back where you belong

Back where you belong.  
  
Pippin sat happily next to Merry on the sofa, while his mother and father went to speak with Frodo in the other room. Pippin was completely unaware of the amount of worry he'd caused, but had not been shouted at or anything.  
  
"Is Frodo going to get the strap?" Pippin suddenly asked.  
  
Merry snorted and shook his head.  
  
"No, I don't think so, Pip." He replied.  
  
Pippin frowned a little and looked up to Merry.  
  
"Am I?" He asked, his green eyes wide.  
  
Merry shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. You might because you ran away, but then again, you are a silly hobbit."  
  
Pippin smiled a little, not really sure what Merry had meant by that.  
  
After a while, Frodo, Paladin and Eglantine all came back. Frodo looked a little upset, but smiled weakly.  
  
"Right lad, I want you to apologise for winding up Frodo." Paladin instructed.  
  
At first, Pippin felt like he was going to refuse. He did not wound Frodo up at all-to his knowledge and did not want to be blamed for something he had not done, or in fact, meant to do. He folded his arms, but a short nudge from Merry made him sigh.  
  
"Sorry, Frodo." He said in a small voice.  
  
Frodo smiled again, but Merry knew it was fake.  
  
"I'm off home now, Peregrin-uh, Pippin, but I'll see you soon, alright."  
  
Pippin nodded. Merry took hold of Pippin's hand and led him to his room.  
  
"Come on, you'd better get ready for bed. You've had quite an exciting day!"  
  
Pippin allowed Merry to help him change into his bedclothes. Everyone else got told off by the seven-year-old who felt he was old enough to button a shirt. It was soon made clear that he wasn't, as the shirt he'd button was inside out, half-on half-off and the buttons and buttonholes did not really meet the other. Merry let Pippin try, at least. Pippin was doing well, but it was always the top button by the collar he had trouble undoing. Merry ever so gently helped Pippin unfasten it, but then let the Took continue on his own. After a few more minutes, Paladin came in and smiled warily.  
  
"Pippin-lad, get straight into bed and lights out. No stories tonight." He said.  
  
Pippin turned to him.  
  
"But-" Paladin held up his hand.  
  
"Son-No." he said sternly.  
  
Pippin pouted and crawled into bed. Paladin gave a sigh and then motioned for Merry to leave. Merry did, and Pippin stared at his father in almost disbelief.  
  
"Now I know you think I'm not being fair, Pippin, but you have to learn. I know that when you ran away today you thought you were doing what was right. I know Frodo was grumpy with you, but that did not mean he didn't want to be here. You could've gotten yourself hurt, Pippin. Running off on your own through the woods isn't safe. There are so many things that could've happened to you-and we're lucky they didn't. I know you're too young to fully understand this now, Pippin, but you're not just an ordinary Hobbit. You're going to be Thain one day-that's very, very important. You can't just go running off whenever you get shouted at or something mean is said to you-you have accept it and sometimes face it."  
  
Paladin's voice softened. His tone was more compassionate and Pippin gave out a short sigh and sat up.  
  
"I'm sorry. I won't run away again. I mean if I do I'll tell you where I'm going, I won't just go away, I mean I will go but not on my own and not in the woods or through my window." Pippin said.  
  
Paladin couldn't help but laugh. He ruffled his son's hair and sighed a little.  
  
"We just want to be safe and sound. We don't want you getting hurt of finding yourself in trouble. You just need to be careful."  
  
Pippin nodded. He knew his father wasn't mad anymore.  
  
"Da?" Pippin questioned as his father got up to leave.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Can't I just have a very small teeny-tiny story? Just one?" Pippin asked.  
  
Paladin smiled.  
  
"Well, I do know a story about a very silly Hobbit who ran away and very nearly got eaten by the 'Hobbit-eating Flying beast' when he thought his cousin didn't want to look after him." Paladin said.  
  
Pippin giggled and nodded.  
  
"I know that one too-but it turns out alright because that Silly Hobbit's daddy comes and saves him and tells him how everything will be alright." Pippin replied.  
  
Paladin smiled and walked back over to his son's bedside. He lent forward and kissed his son's curls. Pippin reached up and hugged his father tightly- or as much as his little arms were able and his whispered that he was sorry again. Paladin nodded.  
  
"It's alright, lad. I know you are, but everything's all right now. You're back where you belong and everything's alright."  
  
END. 


End file.
